Abilities and Aging

by Rob Holmes

While perusing the copious information developed over the last eight months for Diomin, I ran across two things completely lacking in any of the texts to date: when the devil do Diomin races start adventuring?� And, what are the aging effects on Diomin races, either by normal or magical means.� So, to begin, a short review of the open d20 rules, and synopsis, then on to Diomin matters.

What we are used to seeing comes from the Dungeons and Dragons Player's Handbook:

The Open d20 system operates under the assumption that all characters start their adventuring career at the age of maturity or shortly after. Early adulthood is set as the baseline for character development, roughly equal to our high school graduation, or the age of eighteen in humans.

Of course, this does not remove the opportunity for some gamemasters to allow a player to run a pre-adult character. Realistically speaking, a bonus of two to all attributes would probably be evident from the age of thirteen to eighteen in all humans.� But, don't use this as an opportunity to sneak in a fourteen-year-old rogue with 4d6 ability score rolls and expect your DM to give you twelve ability points when you turn eighteen.� Pubescent development is difficult to run, when taking under consideration the physical and mental changes that occur.� That translates to lower money, skill points, feats, and ability scores for your starting pubescent character in the game.� The creators found this easier to eliminate from the system than develop a whole series of number crunching rules to further produce headaches for your gamemaster, and we thank them for it.

Upon growing into adulthood, and the logical starting point for your epic adventures, characters have reached a plateau, with abilities remaining unchanged from maturity through middle age.� This can be rational, and is a bit generous to the characters.� This assumes a certain level of physical exercise and a lack of destructive physical or mental afflictions.� This is the prime of any character's life.

Upon reaching what is classified as middle age, age thirty-five in humans, the body starts to show signs of wear.� Physical attributes drop slightly, one point each, and in return for three and a half decades of knowledge, assumedly put to good use, mental abilities benefit the same increase of one point.� Life has brought with it knowledge, a better grasp on life, and a better grasp of self.� Affects are negligible for the most part, effecting characters only slightly.� It can be argued that a tough workout regimen could keep physical attributes at their same level, while gaining one point each in the other attributes.� But, after years of adventuring, joints stiffen, ligaments and tendons develop scarring, and due to changes in physiology, the body becomes less able to repair itself when damaged, and becomes more fatigued when taxed. But, of course and as always, this is at the discretion of the gamemaster.

There is no turning point once old age is reached, fifty-three in humans.� The body is tired and there is no stopping physical degradation.� Physical attribute loss is two each to strength, constitution, and dexterity.� Wisdom, Intelligence, and Charisma again increase by one.� In spite of loss of physical prowess, the character is distinctly aware of his capabilities and how to apply his experiences to life situations.� Again it could be argued that an extremely regimented workout could maintain physical attributes, but note that this occurs today with less than one percent of the world population.� Calcium is leached from the bones, those once soft joints have hardened, losing mobility and dexterity, and the body in no way can repair damage as quickly as it did twenty years previous.

Venerable age signifies the extreme of human life.� For humans, this is approximately seventy years of age.� This is the point in life where all the physical punishment delivered to the body comes back with a vengeance.� Physical attribute loss is three for strength, constitution, and dexterity.� Again, the years reward wisdom, intelligence, and charisma with a bonus of one.� No level of nonmagical assistance will ever get back those bulging biceps, powerful pectorals, or that shapely or lithe figure.

So, in a nutshell, a human with straight twelve abilities at thirty years old would by venerable age have a strength, dexterity, and constitution of six, and a wisdom, intelligence, and charisma of fifteen.� This might be why we run across those gnarly decrepit wizards that can't hold up their arms, but can throw off those ninth level spells like cantrips; and the fighters, those poor fighters, take desk jobs.

On Diomin, we run into some similar situations, and some not.

Note first the addition of the ancient column, which grants additional bonus to wisdom, intelligence, and charisma beyond the usual venerable life span.� This is reserved for those immortals, and sufficiently long lived, to benefit from the experience of watching several generations of people live and die in the normal process of life.� This level is unattainable by natural means and beyond most of our capabilities of thought.

Humans are consistent with the Open d20 rules.� Humans on Diomin begin their adventuring career between fifteen and eighteen years of age.� The Merodach whom are immortal, rare to say the least in the Zeredite nation, well, all three, are a special case.� These magicians have learned the secrets of maintaining the body far beyond that of normal life, bestowing the positive affects of mental attribute bonus, without loss of physical prowess.� Their mental development, however, is substantially slowed.� These reclusive wizards tend to avoid the social interplay required to bring development of their mental and social skills.

Arak are considered adult on their ninth year, but this is considered only indoctrination into adulthood.� On their ninth year, their apprenticeships begin, making their age to begin adventuring anywhere between fifteen and twenty three years of age.

Gnolaum, with their longer life spans, resemble elves of old in age constraints.� They reach maturity and can begin adventuring at thirty years of age or shortly thereafter.

Gadianti are similar to Humans in life span and development.� Those who are lucky enough may live to venerable age.� The vast majority, though, will most likely fall to an untimely demise.� Essentially, the Gadianti stay in their prime slightly longer than humans, and probably meet an unfortunate end sometime later.� One exception is in the case of the High Priestess of Akish, whose life span is doubled in her ascension to her position.� She sits at the head of the Gadianti race, second only to Akish, and only suffers the negative effects of aging at half the potency of her subordinates.� The other exception is a GadiantiTzolcah:a petitioner for the position of High Priestess that survived the test but did not receive the position. They age at 75% normal Gadianti rate, and receive similar benefits as the High Priestess.� Gadianti are considered mature at 13 years of age.

Hearthom never suffer the physical affects of aging; yet another benefit of immortality.� They do, however, benefit from the mental bonuses.� Due to the slow process of Hearthom development, their bonuses take considerably longer to develop than any other races.� Also due to the nature of their race, a Hearthom may be capable of adventuring as soon as they are born, or it may take several years to learn the required skills.